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Saturday, September 15, 2007

Iraq

Well, my views on the Iraq war have long been absent from this blog, mostly because I do not update nearly often enough to make this blog relevant to casual observers. However I read a blog entry by Glenn Greenwald of www.salon.com which I think neatly encapsulates something that I've been ruminating on for the past six years. Mainly, the leadership of the United States isn't shouldering its share of the load. I refer you to this link.

Bush and his amigos have always been rather insistent on the Churchill/Chamberlain analogy of why the US has to be in Iraq (while at the same time, you never hear about Afghanistan which is a military I action I do support, but has lost its intended impact because I feel that it has been starved of troops and funding), but I think it should be recalled that when Churchill lost his post as First Lord of the Admiralty he enlisted in the army and went to go fight on the front lines of France as a Lt. Colonel and nearly lost his life on several occasions. You think Bill Kristol would even think of doing something like that (he probably wouldn't be allowed as I reckon he wouldn't pass the physical)?

Of all American federal legislators only ONE has a child in Iraq. Mitt Romney, a serious contender for the White House in 2008 said that the service of his five sons TO GET HIM ELECTED is equitable to military service...

Right.

So why do the legislators let it continue? Contrary to opinion polls that are cited, most Americans oppose the military action in Iraq and want to see a withdrawal from an intractable conflict that has cost 30,000 casualties dead and wounded. In terms of most wars, that is mere pocket change. I say this not to trivialize the sacrifice of all those servicemen but rather to draw attention to the fact that in a just struggle, this butcher's bill would be an incredibly low price to pay when compared to similar wars throughout the ages. However, in pursuit of a flawed and dishonest cause even one death is grossly immoral and should carry with it the acrimony and disgust that only history can bestow and the American congress and senate shall justifiably be included that judgment along with the executive branch and it's neo-conservative supporters.